1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to caps for wearing outdoors, and in particular, to caps having a shade for shading a portion of the user from the sun.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art includes a number of cap and shade combinations. U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,201, for example, discloses a cap having an openable top cover for retaining the shade in an inner space. The sunshade in that patent, however, suffers from, among other things, the fact that the shade is attached to the outside surface of the cap, and is thereby awkward to use and fails to provide the additional support that could be provided had the shade instead been attached to the inside of the cap where the band of the cap tightly fits around the wearer""s head. That patent also suffers from the ill placement of the opening from which the sunshade is released. The zipper for the opening is in plain sight, detracting from the aesthetics of the cap.
Also, the opening is far from the attachment features, which means the sunshade must be entirely detached from the cap before placing in the inner space. This increases the chances that the sunshade will be removed by accident and also increases the chances that the sunshade and the cap will be separated and one of the two will be lost. What is needed is a cap and shade combination that may be made of a one-piece construction so the shade is less likely to be separated from the cap and lost. Alternatively, what is needed is a two-piece construction that is much less likely to allow the shade to be accidentally removed, such as where the removable attachments of the shade are on the inside of the cap where the tight fit to the wearer""s head can aid in forcing the two pieces together.
The present invention is a cap and shade combination in which the shade may be folded inside an attached pouch which is permanently attached or detachable when not in use. The shade comprises a central portion and two wing portions such that it may be unfurled both down away from the cap and laterally in both directions around the rim of the cap. Each wing portion has an upper edge comprising one or more shade attachment members configured and positioned to removably attach to mating attachment members on the inner surface of the cap near the front visor when in use for maximum coverage of the user""s neck, ears, etc.
In one embodiment, the pouch may be stitched into the cap. In another embodiment, it may be removably attached to the inner surface of the crown of the cap, such as by using a hook and loop attachment configuration or using snaps, buttons, clasps, latches, or other common fasteners. In another embodiment, the pouch may be sewn into or as part of the band or sweatband of the cap. The pouch may further have a zipper or other fastening means for alternatively enclosing and releasing the shade. Where the pouch is sewn into or as part of the band, the opening for the shade may open to the inside surface, the outside surface, or the bottom edge of the band.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a review of the following specification and accompanying drawings.